Medieval Town By A Bubblegum Pink Lake: One Of The Last True Hidden Gems In France
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France is the most visited country worldwide, simply surpassing Spain, Italy and Mexico.
Final 12 months alone, it hosted over 100 million visitors, who flocked from everywhere in the globe to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night time or marvel on the regal opulence of palaces like Versailles.
I dwell right here, in Paris particularly, and I can let you know it has been an absolute gong-show, however as extensively fashionable as France is, one factor I’ve realized touring throughout the territory is that enormous swathes of it stay largely undiscovered.
As a majority of international vacationers will usually verify off Paris and, if time allowing, go to a few summery cities within the French Riviera earlier than shifting to the following nation in line, they’ll typically miss out on a few of the most awe-inspiring, fairytale spots (un)identified to most.
In a latest journey to the Camargue area, I stumbled upon one in all these hidden gems, a medieval metropolis resting on the banks of a bubblegum pink lake, and I virtually could not imagine my eyes—and the actual fact there have been only a few foreigners in sight:
Is This The Final True Hidden Gem Of France?
Aigues-Mortes shouldn’t be the everyday city that will function on the journey brochure displayed at your resort entrance desk should you’re coming to France.
Not like Good, Avignon, St Tropez and the like, the French would very very similar to to maintain it a secret.
It’s a small settlement within the historic Camargues, a coastal space of France greatest identified for its huge wetlands, and a UNESCO-protected reserve vacationers are largely bypassing altogether when touring up the N113 on the way in which to Montpellier.
I may dedicate a whole stand-alone article to the nationwide park, most likely probably the most fascinating bird-watching and wildlife-spotting website in Europe––look forward to finding elegant pink flamingos and majestic wild horses prancing about––however let’s stick with Aigues-Mortes.
It’s situated on the junction of two channels, the Rhône and the Maritime, making it a pure transit hub for boats touring back and forth the coast; for sure, Aigues-Mortes was a massively essential middle of commerce within the Center Ages, when it collected most of its cultural wealth.
I did not know what to anticipate pulling up with the automobile earlier than the imposing medieval ramparts, however as I’d quickly discover out, this offbeat city tucked away within the salines of Camargue is without doubt one of the best-preserved medieval treasures nonetheless surviving in France right now:
What Makes Aigues-Mortes So Particular?
I do know Dubrovnik gets all the praise, and even in France, Mont St Michel citadel is much extra simply acknowledged, however the square-shaped Aigues-Mortes can be surrounded by intact metropolis partitions and defended by a collection of towers and fortified gates.
Chivalric romance stuff, you recognize?
Strolling the charming Previous City, a grid-like maze of cobbled lanes lined by an identical stone homes, distinguished by their flower preparations and colourful window shutters, it is virtually as should you’re transported again in time.
You can spend hours on finish exploring at leisure, and also you’re positive to seek out one or two secret courtyards with a centuries-old effectively on the middle and loads of memento retailers the place you should purchase pure Camargue salt, lavender merchandise, and distinctive craftwork.
Probably the most placing function right here, and one you possibly can’t simply miss should you’ve been to a fair proportion of castles earlier than and also you’re already numb to the artifical wonders of Europe, is the vividly-pink lakes that border the historic ramparts.
Nicely, I have to add they don’t seem to be lakes correct, however saltpans which can be naturally salmon-colored as a result of presence of a microscopic algae that proliferates within the atmosphere.
In brief, do not try to go for a swim as it’s miles from being… hem, protected.
Both approach, it isn’t each day you get to see a medieval citadel straddle a pink physique of water, and what a sight, my mates!
High 3 Greatest Vacationer Actions In Aigues-Mortes
Go to The Salines
Certainly one of my favourite issues to do in Aigues-Mortes is visiting the Salin d’Aigues-Mortes, the city’s landmark saline, house to the biggest salt marsh in your complete Mediterranean basin and the place about 500,000 tons of salt per 12 months are produced.
Apart from shopping for different-flavored salt, you possibly can hop on a vacationer prepare rattling up the slender lanes between saltpans, and should you’re hoping to snap the traditional postcard image of the pink lake with the Aigues-Mortes townscape for backdrop, I would recommend you sit on the left facet.
There is a small, quite attention-grabbing museum on website, too, and you’ll even climb up a salt mound for a panoramic panorama of the everyday Camargues panorama.
The Petit prepare go to lasts simply over an hour, and tickets value $13.90 per individual (or the equal in euro).
Stroll The Ramparts
On the town, the must-do attraction is accessing the ramparts and their adjoining Constance Tower: sure, you possibly can stroll the total 1.8-mile extension of them, and be sure you deliver a bottle of water, and an influence financial institution for that limited-battery telephone, as you may most likely be taking photos each step of the way in which.
There are many actions in and round Aigues-Mortes that ought to preserve you busy for a few days, so I recommend you intend not less than an in a single day right here––I stayed myself at Resort L’Escale (check out the Google reviews here), within the coronary heart of the ‘Inside Metropolis’, or the walled Previous City, and a double room value $56 per individual.
On common, room charges in Aigues-Mortes vary from $113 to $160 on Booking, a much more cheap ask than Paris’ jaw-dropping $208 to $342 on the peak of Olympics season.
Pattern Some World-Class French Meals
In the event you’re eager on experiencing French culture—and by that I imply sampling each sort of cheese underneath the scorching solar and sipping a Sable de Camargue Rosé —the Predominant Road main from Porte de la Gardette to the Notre-Dame des Sablons Church is flanked by conventional brasseries.
For rustic, wood-fired meals that screams historic custom, head to Chez Coco.
They serve freshly made pizza and pasta for the weak of abdomen, and for the extra adventurous form like me, the perfect andouillette sausages and probably the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth lamb shoulder you may ever attempt.
In the event you’re vegan, Le XIII is the place to go: not solely have they got a stunning secluded outside seating space, shaded by unique timber, however their refreshing Bergère salad, accompanied by chèvre-et-miel toast tastes heavenly on notably scorching summer season days.
Aigues-Mortes is well-known round France for its seafood, notably its mussels, and Casa Toro is the place you may discover the perfect mussel à la Aigues-Mortaise on the town, salted to style, and remember to order an anchovy-based anchoïade dipping sauce for the bread, if obtainable.
One Of The Most Welcoming Locations In France
The worth vary for eating places is an appropriate $30-35, should you’re ordering a small entrée, a most important dish and a glass of wine or similarly-priced drink, and the service is often impeccable—dwelling in Paris myself, I’ve misplaced depend of the variety of occasions I’ve needed to take care of ill-tempered waiters.
Aigues-Mortes has not one of the huge metropolis fast-paced dwelling, visitors, nor hustle and bustle, and as I perceived it, persons are simply in a greater temper than Parisians usually: it is no surprise Aigues-Mortes was not too long ago ranked by Reserving the most welcoming town within the area.
Apart from the cultural worth and the friendliness of locals, Aigues-Mortes is without doubt one of the most original locations I have been in France (and boy, have I received round…) and I simply can’t imagine it is but to be overrun with worldwide vacationers.
Find out how to Attain Aigues-Mortes
In the event you’re questioning how one can get right here, the closest airport is in Montpellier (MPL), serving the namesake metropolis, and internet hosting seasonal low-cost flights from a lot of colder European locations, like London (Gatwick), Copenhagen, Berlin and even Paris.
In the event you’re already in Southern France, nevertheless, getting right here is even simpler, because the city is served by a prepare station with direct hyperlinks to town of Nîmes: the SCNF-TER service takes roughly 53 minutes to finish the journey, and tickets value as low-cost as $1.
In the event you’re touching down in Montpellier, you possibly can journey from Montpellier to Aigues-Mortes, however it is going to require one change in Nîmes, tickets for your complete journey costing from $7.48, at a complete journey period of 1h28 for the shortest switch occasions.
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Opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the put up.